In Bed With Sakara Life Co-Founder Danielle DuBoise

For Danielle DuBoise, the raw food movement hits home. Growing up in the New Age mecca of Sedona, Arizona, she was surrounded by clean eating and holistic health. But as a model and actress, she struggled with body image and crash diets.

Everything clicked when she created a meal program combining her earthy upbringing and her expertise in nutrition. The program worked for her, so why not others?

Featured in GOOP, Well + Good, and Vogue.com, Danielle’s plant-based meal delivery service Sakara Life has grown from a two-person operation to a viable business with thousands of clients.

From dreams to daily rituals, Danielle shares how sleep affects her life.

What’s keeping you up at night right now?

Danielle: Realizing we’re all spinning on a rock in the middle of outer space and we have no idea how or why.

What do you wear to sleep?

Danielle: Nada.

Go-to late night snack?

Danielle: Toast with almond butter and jam.

What was your last dream?

Danielle: Disturbingly it was about ticks… they’re up 400% on the East Coast and Lyme is no joke. Apparently my subconscious agrees.

Last thing you do before going to sleep?

Danielle: Say thank you.

How many hours do you sleep?

Danielle: Eight is ideal, seven is usually all I get.

What’s the first thing you do when you get out of bed?

Danielle: I’m not a morning person, so I usually stick around in bed and ask my husband to come back to bed for some extra cuddling. Bonus if he brings our pup with him.

What makes you WANT to get out of bed?

Danielle: Lots of things: remembering what a wild ride this life is; knowing how fortunate I am to be surrounded by incredible people and doing something I love.

What else do you do in your bed besides sleep?

Danielle: Fun things…don’t worry about it.

What makes you fall asleep?

Danielle: I love the sound of water, so I play a sound app and combine the sound of rain and waterfalls.

Why is Sakara important to you?

Danielle: I have the best job in the world and that’s because it’s a mission that I wholeheartedly believe in. I help people transform their minds and bodies so they can become their best and brightest selves.

What gives you energy throughout your day?

What’s your favorite life hack?

How does sleep impact your day?

Danielle: I need a lot of sleep. Anything less than 7 and I’m a mess. So sleep very much impacts my ability to focus, tap into my creativity, and generally feel motivated to push myself.

What’s your relationship with your electronics? Do they sleep with you?

Danielle: They charge by my bed, but I don’t use them in bed. Only as an alarm. My husband thinks they should live on the other side of the house while we sleep, but I have occasional paranoia about not being reachable.

What’s your bedtime ritual?

Danielle: I fill a huge jug of water, drink about half and keep half by my bed for when I wake up. I also love to read right before bed. [It] puts me to sleep. But I only read love stories before bed. No business books and no murder mysteries.

How do you deal with stress?

Danielle: I try and see the bigger picture and have trust that things always work out. I’m usually most stressed when I feel like I can’t control a situation. Remembering that most things are out of my hands helps me relax into the moment.

If you have an extra 15 minutes in your day, what do you do with it?

Danielle: Meet my husband for a quick kiss.

What do you want to be when you wake up?

Danielle: Joyful and bright.

What city do you sleep in?

Danielle: NYC.

This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.

The views, opinions, and positions expressed in this post do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or positions of Tomorrow Sleep LLC, its affiliates or their employees.